Kit for retrieving a fluke anchor

ABSTRACT

A kit for retrieving a fluke anchor of the type having a stock, a pair of flukes coupled at their edges to the stock, a pair of oppositely disposed side walls and a pair of slotted crown plates oppositely disposed joining the top edges and bottom edges of the side walls, and a shank having an eye on a free end with an inner end pivotally connected to the stock between the side walls. The kit includes an adapter arm assembly. A mechanism is for attaching the adapter arm assembly onto the top slotted crown plate of the fluke anchor, so that the adapter arm assembly will extend away from the top slotted crown plate of the fluke anchor. A release line is connected between an end of the adapter arm assembly and up to a stern of a boat. When the release line is pulled the fluke anchor will be pulled from an opposite direction to release the pair of flukes from a sandy seabed bottom.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/257,536, filed on Nov. 3, 2009, in the United States Patent & Trademark Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a boat anchor, and more particularly, a kit for retrieving a fluke anchor.

The kit provides boaters with an easy way to retrieve the fluke anchor from the seabed without having to reposition the boat. The present invention is intended to be used at the stern (but may be used as primary/bow anchor) and is ideal for small to mid size boats. The kit eliminates the problems associated with retrieving the fluke anchor by making the recovery process simple and efficient.

2. Description of the Prior Art

When a bow anchor is in place, a stern anchor is used to prevent the boat from moving latterly. When retrieving the stern anchor, a boat operator must typically drive the boat up to the stern anchor, or past it, in order to release its grip from the ground. This can be difficult to do because when the bow anchor is in place, the captain has limited ability in moving the boat toward the stern anchor.

Numerous innovations for marine anchor release devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.

A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,554, issued on Sep. 19, 1978, to Miller teaches anchor flukes that are carried on a cross bar having spaced abutment plates which limit pivotal movement of a primary arm which is pivoted on the cross bar. A secondary arm also pivoted on the cross bar at one end does not have anything to limit pivotal movement and has the anchor cable secured at the other end. A pressure releasable latch interconnects the arms so that they release upon engagement of the anchor flukes with an obstruction when the boat is positioned above the anchor thereby allowing the anchor to be raised with its flukes trailing.

A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,884, issued on Aug. 20, 1996, to Van Den Haak teaches an anchor fluke, being formed as to have a penetration or front-side and a rear side, as well as a longitudinal plane of symmetry intersecting these sides, the anchor fluke comprising first device for attachment of an anchor line for use in a vertical anchoring system and a second device for attachment of at least two connecting lines spaced in the longitudinal plane of symmetry so as to connect the fluke to a pulling or penetration anchor line, the fluke being so formed that at least its upper surface has a shape convexly curved or buckled in cross-section along the plane of symmetry, the first attachment device for the anchor line for a vertical anchoring system being located near the center of area of the fluke.

A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,135, issued on Apr. 22, 1997, to Eberline, Sr. teaches an anchor with pivoted flukes and a track upon which an anchor line is slidably connected to the anchor has a pair of fluke drivers adjacent the flukes which produce a significant included angle of the flukes with respect to the bed of a body of water. This included angle of the flukes enables them to rapidly penetrate and set in a bed of a body of water even under hard pan bed conditions. Typically, the anchor sets into the bed of a body of water within ten feet of anchor movement relative to the bed.

A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,802, issued on Dec. 22, 1998, to Dvorak teaches a collapsible boat anchor comprising four side panels, each hingeably connected to the next as to form a square. To the forward and rearward side panels respectively are affixed a plurality of flukes arranged in upper and lower configuration as to allow the anchor to set on whichever side it may fall. Moveable attached to the inside of the anchor at forward side panel and right side panel is a center stabilizing bar. The center stabilizing bar secures the anchor in an open and locked position while engaged, but facilitates collapse of the anchor for storage while disengaged. To provide a tie-off location for an anchor line, a lead arm is pivotably affixed to the anchor at an anchor pull ring.

A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,451, issued on Apr. 6, 1999, to Bruce teaches a drag embedment normal load anchor (“Denla”) comprises a fluke with a shank pivotally attached thereto, the shank including an anchor cable attachment point and control or restraint mechanisms whereby the shank can be set such that the cable attachment point can lie selectively in first, second, and third directions relative to the fluke centroid, the directions providing three fluke centroid angles (.alpha., .beta., and .theta., respectively) with the fluke forward direction (F). The Denla is part of an anchoring apparatus including a rear drogue line serving to orientate the anchor correctly at the sea bed without the need for a separate pendant line. In operation, the Denla is embedded by pulling on an anchor cable with the first fluke centroid angle .alpha. present; when the desired horizontal anchor loading is achieved, the shank is moved to the second larger centroid angle .beta. and the anchor swung back until the fluke forward direction (F) is inclined upwardly, this position constituting the normal load anchoring position. For Denla retrieval, the shank is swung forwardly to occupy the smaller third fluke centroid angle .theta., and the anchor pulled upwardly in the included fluke forward direction (F). The restraint/control mechanisms are preferably located in a grease filled housing for protection and a further fluke centroid angle lower than the first centroid angle can be provided for the shank to ensure satisfactory initial burying of the anchor. The invention enables setting of the Denla and also retrieval using a single line, i.e., the anchor line.

A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,001, issued on Nov. 2, 1999, to Verrier teaches an anchor for floating devices and includes a body provided with a shackle linked to an anchor chain, with one set member for engaging the bed of a body of water being jointedly mounted on the body. The body includes a first portion having two longitudinal ends and a second portion extending between the ends of the first portion and being spaced away so as to surround a void space therebetween. The shackle is slidingly mounted along the second portion and the set member is assembled on the first body portion in a jointed fashion to thereby be able to switch between set positions pointing oppositely from each other.

A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,826, issued on Jan. 4, 2000, to Nole teaches a boat anchor and a retrieving mechanism for unsnagging the anchor from an underwater obstruction. The anchor includes an anchor body and a shank pivotally connected to the anchor body. The retrieving mechanism includes an elongated shank line connected between the crown and one end of an elongated clampbolt of an adjustable release mechanism. A clampbolt receiving block having a U-shaped channel is connected to a distal end of the shank which is aligned longitudinally to the shank and opening away from the anchor body. An enlarged shoulder of the clampbolt abuts against one end surface of the receiving block while an elastomeric friction member and a hand nut are positioned on a threaded portion of the clampbolt against the other end surface of the receiving block. The hand nut is tightenable against the friction member to selectively vary the lateral force required to disengage the release mechanism from the clamp block as applied by the anchor line when pulled somewhat orthogonally to the shank when the anchor body becomes snagged. When the release mechanism is disengaged, upward anchor line lifting force shifts to being applied directly to the crown to effect anchor unsnagging.

AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,870, issued on Jun. 5, 2001, to Komura et al. teaches an anchor which may be buried in the seabed by means of the actual mooring line. One embodiment of such an anchor comprises a fluke which has rear eyes, front eyes and auxiliary eyes. Rear mooring cables are connected to the rear eyes and front mooring cables are connected to rear connection points located on the front eyes. Front installation cables, which are shorter than the front mooring cables, are connected to front connection points on the front eyes. The remaining ends of these cables are connected to a connection plate, forming the anchor bobstay, and a mooring line is connected to the top of this connection plate. As the front installation cables are shorter than the rear mooring cables, the bobstay is configured with the desired angle of attack for the burial of the anchor. In order that the front mooring cables do not slacken, use is made of auxiliary cables to stretch them out. When the anchor has been buried, a movement of the mooring line in the opposite direction from the burial direction will cause the ends of the front installation cables to break auxiliary clamps which exist at front connection points, thereby releasing these ends and, consequently, making it possible for the front mooring lines to be stretched out, so as to place the anchor in its operating position.

A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2005/0166825, published on Aug. 4, 2005, to Zimmerman et al. teach methods for installation, connection to, and use of anchors for mooring of marine structures, especially although not exclusively for gravity installed anchors, and accompanying apparatus. One embodiment comprises an anchor having recovery and load lines attached thereto, both lines held by a trailing buoy and with subsea connectors at their upper ends, held up by the buoy. The trailing buoy is held in a release frame, the anchor is lowered to a desired height above a seabed, then the release mechanism is shifted and the anchor is permitted to free fall and penetrate into the seabed. The trailing buoy and subsea connectors remain above the seabed, and a mooring line from a structure can be connected to the load line via the subsea connector. A second embodiment comprises a launch frame attached to the lowering line. A length of chain or rope is looped from the base of the launch frame to a remote release near the end of the launch frame arm, and from there to a recovery line assembly connected to the anchor. A load line assembly is also connected to the anchor. Once the anchor is lowered to a desired height, the remote release is actuated, and the anchor plunges downward into the seabed. Subsea connectors on both the recovery line assembly and the load line assembly permit attachment and detachment of the lowering line and the mooring line. The apparatus and method of this invention requires only a single vessel and a single deployment line

A TENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,951,183, issued on Oct. 4, 2005, to Burback teaches a marine anchor release mechanism that can be utilized on several pre-manufactured claw, plow or fluke type anchors for unsnagging the anchors from underwater obstructions. The release mechanism consists of two blade type brackets that run parallel to the shank of an anchor and connected to a rear portion of the anchor. A shear pin is installed through the parallel blade type brackets and the shank or an upper extension of the anchor that is sandwiched there between. The release mechanism is designed to release a snagged anchor by applying a sufficient force when powering the boat over the anchor, the shear pin will give way and the anchor assembly will rotate freely from an angle of substantially 180° degree. with respect to the shackle end of the anchor, thus allowing the anchor to pull free from the obstruction.

AN ELEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2008/0314305, published on Dec. 25, 2008, to Bryant teaches marine anchors and more particularly to bi-directional boat anchors with a shank which is pivotable relative to at least one fluke. The invention also relates to bi-directional anchors that have two or more flukes positioned at opposite ends of the anchor.

A TWELFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2010/0064957, published on Mar. 18, 2010, to Weinstein et al. teach a method, system and device for facilitating the retrieval of a marine anchor from an underwater obstruction, the device being configured to actuate when subjected to a force load of a predetermined peak force threshold to effect a change in the point of retrieval that an anchor rode makes with the anchor. The obstructed anchor may be retrieved from another direction, such as a direction opposite from which the anchor was set.

It is apparent now that numerous innovations for marine anchor release devices have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a kit for retrieving a fluke anchor that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a kit for retrieving a fluke anchor that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a kit for retrieving a fluke anchor that is simple to use.

BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a kit for retrieving a fluke anchor of the type having a stock, a pair of flukes coupled at their edges to the stock, a pair of oppositely disposed side walls and a pair of slotted crown plates oppositely disposed joining the top edges and bottom edges of the side walls, and a shank having an eye on a free end with an inner end pivotally connected to the stock between the side walls. The kit comprises an adapter arm assembly. A mechanism is for attaching the adapter arm assembly onto the top slotted crown plate of the fluke anchor, so that the adapter arm assembly will extend away from the top slotted crown plate of the fluke anchor. A release line is connected between an end of the adapter arm assembly and up to a stern of a boat. When the release line is pulled the fluke anchor will be pulled from an opposite direction to release the pair of flukes from a sandy seabed bottom.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The figures of the drawings are briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the present invention attached to a fluke anchor;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the present invention in use; and

FIG. 3 shows the adapter arm assembly and the attaching components in greater detail.

REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING

-   110 kit -   112 fluke anchor -   114 stock of fluke anchor 112 -   116 fluke of fluke anchor 112 -   118 side wall of fluke anchor 112 -   120 slotted crown plate of fluke anchor 112 -   122 shank of fluke anchor 112 -   124 eye on free end 126 -   126 free end of shank 122 -   128 inner end of shank 122 -   130 adapter arm assembly of kit 110 -   132 attaching mechanism of kit 110 -   134 release line of kit 110 -   136 L-shaped mounting plate of adapter arm assembly 130 -   138 vertical portion of L-shaped mounting plate 136 -   140 horizontal portion of L-shaped mounting plate 136 -   142 aperture in horizontal portion 140 -   144 short arm of adapter arm assembly 130 -   146 eye on free end 148 -   148 free end of short arm 144 -   150 inner end of short arm 144 -   152 carbide drill bit of attaching mechanism 132 -   154 bolt of attaching mechanism 132 -   156 locking nut of attaching mechanism 132 -   158 first color coded cord of release line 134 -   160 floatation mechanism on first color coded cord 158 -   162 first shackle of release line 134 -   164 looped end of first color coded cord 158 -   166 main anchor line of kit 110 -   168 chain of main anchor line 166 -   170 second shackle of main anchor line 166 -   172 second color coded cord of main anchor line 166 -   174 third shackle of main anchor line 166 -   176 looped end of second color coded cord 172 -   178 weld for attaching mechanism 132

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 3, and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto.

The present invention is a kit 110 for retrieving a fluke anchor 112 of the type having a stock 114, a pair of flukes 116 coupled at their edges to the stock 114, a pair of oppositely disposed side walls 118 and a pair of slotted crown plates 120 oppositely disposed joining the top edges and bottom edges of the side walls 118 and a shank 122 having an eye 124 on a free end 126 with an inner end 128 pivotally connected to the stock 114 between the side walls 118. The kit 110 comprises an adapter arm assembly 130. A mechanism 132 is for attaching the adapter arm assembly 130 (if not welded) onto the top slotted crown plate 120 of the fluke anchor 112, so that the adapter arm assembly 130 will extend away from the top slotted crown plate 120 of the fluke anchor 112. A release line 134 is connected between an end of the adapter arm assembly 130 and up to a stern of a boat not shown). When the release line 134 is pulled the fluke anchor 112 will be pulled from an opposite direction to release the pair of flukes 116 from a sandy seabed bottom.

The adapter arm assembly 130, as best seen in FIG. 3, comprises a pair of L-shaped mounting plates 136, each having a vertical portion 138 and a horizontal portion 140 having a plurality of spaced apart apertures 142. A short arm 144 has an eye 146 on a free end 148. An inner end 150 of the short arm 144 is affixed between the vertical portions 138 of the L-shaped mounting plates 136 to extend at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees.

The attaching mechanism 132 comprises a carbide drill bit 152 for making a plurality of spaced apart holes (not shown) in the top slotted crown plate 120 of the fluke anchor 112, which will align with spaced apart apertures 142 in the horizontal portions 140 of the L-shaped mounting plates 136 of the adapter arm assembly 130. A plurality of bolts 154 and locking nuts 156 are utilized to go through the apertures 142 in the horizontal portions 140 of the L-shaped mounting plates 136 and the holes in the top slotted crown plate 120.

The release line 134 comprises a first color coded cord 158. At least one floatation member 160 is on the first color coded cord 158. A first shackle 162 attaches a looped end 164 of the first color coded cord 158 to the eye 146 on the free end 148 of the short arm 144 of the adapter arm assembly 130.

The kit further comprises a main anchor line 166 connected between the eye 124 on the free end 126 of the shank 122 of the fluke anchor 122 and up to the stern of the boat. The main anchor line 166 comprises a chain 168. A second shackle 170 attaches a first end of the chain 168 to the eye 124 on the shank 122 of the fluke anchor 122. A second color coded cord 172 is provided. A third shackle 174 attaches a loop end 176 of the second color coded cord 172 to a second end of the chain 168.

The first color coded cord 158 is green being three eighths of an inch in diameter and approximately one hundred feet in length (length will vary based on water depth). The second color coded cord 172 is red being three eighths of an inch in diameter and approximately one hundred feet in length (length will vary based on water depth). Each L-shaped mounting plate 136 of the adapter arm assembly 130 is approximately an inch and half inch wide by four inches in length. The short arm 144 of the adapter arm assembly 130 is approximately one inch wide by six inches long. The chain 168 is one quarter inch thick by approximately three to six feet in length.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the attaching mechanism 132 can also comprise a weld 178 between the horizontal portions 140 of the L-shaped mounting plates 136 of the adapter arm assembly 130 and the top slotted crown plate 120 of the fluke anchor 112, wherein the adapter arm assembly 130 will become permanently attached to the fluke anchor 112.

In summary, the fluke anchor 112 is used to maintain lateral movement of the boat when used as a stern anchor. The kit 110 is specifically constructed to easily retrieve the fluke anchor 112 out of the seabed without the need to reposition the boat. The fluke anchor 112 includes the shank 122, the slotted crown plates 120 and the flukes 116 attached to the stock 114. The shank 122 has the main anchor line 116 extending from the free end 126. The kit 110 also includes adapter arm assembly 130 mounted on the slotted crown plate 120 of the fluke anchor 112. The short arm 144 of the adapter arm assembly 130 includes the release line 134 extending from its free end 148. The main anchor line 166 and the release line 134 are utilized with the help of shackles 162, 170 and 174. The short arm 144 and the release line 134 of the kit 110 are adapted for pulling up the flukes 116 of the fluke anchor 112 from a direction suitable for the retrieval of the fluke anchor 112. The exact specifications may vary.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodiments of a kit for retrieving a fluke anchor, accordingly it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention. 

1. A kit for retrieving a fluke anchor of the type having a stock, a pair of flukes coupled at their edges to the stock, a pair of oppositely disposed side walls and a pair of slotted crown plates oppositely disposed joining the top edges and bottom edges of the side walls, and a shank having an eye on a free end with an inner end pivotally connected to the stock between the side walls, the kit comprising: a) an adapter arm assembly; b) means for attaching the adapter arm assembly onto the top slotted crown plate of the fluke anchor, so that the adapter arm assembly will extend away from the top slotted crown plate of the fluke anchor; and c) a release line connected between an end of the adapter arm assembly and up to a stern of a boat, wherein when the release line is pulled up, the fluke anchor will be pulled from an opposite direction to release the pair of flukes from a sandy seabed bottom.
 2. The kit as recited in claim 1, wherein the adapter arm assembly comprises: a) a pair of L-shaped mounting plates, each having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion having a plurality of spaced apart apertures; and b) a short arm having an eye on a free end, whereby an inner end of the short arm is affixed between the vertical portions of the L-shaped mounting plates to extend at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees.
 3. The kit as recited in claim 2, wherein the attaching means comprises: a) a carbide drill bit for making a plurality of spaced apart holes in the top slotted crown plate of the fluke anchor, which will align with the spaced apart apertures in the horizontal portions of the L-shaped mounting plates of the adapter arm assembly; and b) a plurality of bolts and locking nuts utilized to go through the apertures in the horizontal portions of the L-shaped mounting plates and the holes in the top slotted crown plate.
 4. The kit as recited in claim 3, wherein the release line comprises: a) a first color coded cord; b) at least one floatation member on the first color coded cord; and c) a first shackle to attach a looped end of the first color coded cord to the eye on the free end of the short arm of the adapter arm assembly.
 5. The kit as recited in claim 4, further comprising a main anchor line connected between the eye on the free end of the shank of the fluke anchor and up to the stern of the boat.
 6. The kit as recited in claim 5, wherein the main anchor line comprises: a) a chain; b) a second shackle to attach a first end of the chain to the eye on the shank of the fluke anchor; c) a second color coded cord; and d) a third shackle to attach a loop end of the second color coded cord to a second end of the chain.
 7. The kit as recited in claim 6, further comprising: a) the first color coded cord is green being three eighths of an inch in diameter and the length to vary based on water depth; and b) the second color coded cord is red being three eighths of an inch in diameter and length to vary based on water depth.
 8. The kit as recited in claim 7, wherein each the L-shaped mounting plate of the adapter arm assembly is approximately three inches wide by four inches in length.
 9. The kit as recited in claim 8, wherein the short arm of the adapter arm assembly is approximately one inch wide by six inches long.
 10. The kit as recited in claim 9, wherein the chain is one quarter inch thick by approximately three to six feet in length.
 11. The kit as recited in claim 1, wherein the attaching mechanism comprises a weld between the horizontal portions of the L-shaped mounting plates of the adapter arm assembly and the top slotted crown plate of the fluke anchor, wherein the adapter arm assembly will become permanently attached to the fluke anchor. 